Sacred Games

by Gary Corby

Series: The Athenian Mysteries (3)

Members	Reviews	Popularity	Average rating	Mentions
107	9	254,113	(3.89)	12
Fiction. Mystery. Historical Fiction. HTML: A murder during the Olympics may spark a war between Athens and Sparta in this historical mystery in the "consistently excellent series" (Booklist). It is the Olympics of 460 BC. Nicolaos's best friend, Timodemus, is a competitor in the pankration, the deadly martial art of ancient Greece. Timo is hot favorite to win�??his only serious rival is Parmonos from Sparta. When Parmonos is found beaten to death, it seems obvious Timodemus would be the killer. Who else could have killed the second-best fighter in all Hellas but the very best? The judges of the competition sentence Timodemus to be executed in four days' time, as soon as the Sacred Games have finished. Complicating everything is the fact that Athens and Sparta are already at each other's throats, in the opening stages of a power struggle for control of Hellas. If an Athenian is found to have cheated at the Games by murdering a Spartan, it will be everything the hawks in Sparta need to declare open war the moment the Sacred Truce is over. And that's a war Athens cannot hope to win. Now Nico and his partner in sleuthing, the annoyingly clever priestess Diotima, have four days to save their friend and avert a war that would tear their world apart. … (more)

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While this 3rd book in the Athenian mystery series was a pleasurable way to spend my time, I again felt that there were too many modern phrases.... I love the setting (and Nico's brother Sophocles!!) but am jarred sometimes by that use of modern phraseology which disrupts my ability to sink into the historical setting. (

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leslie.98 | Jun 27, 2023 |

Nico and Diotima are attending the Sacred Games at Olympia when a Spartan athlete is found beaten to death. The chief suspect is Nico's best friend Timodeus, an Athenian athlete. The Olympic judges are 99% certain that Timodeus is the guilty party but agree to appoint Nico and Markos, a Spartan knight, to jointly investigate the crime. Nico has three days to solve the case before Timodeus is executed for murder.

In the meantime, will Nico's father and Diotima's stepfather ever agree on a dowry? (

)

soraki | Oct 12, 2021 |

)

leslie.98 | Apr 8, 2021 |

Delightful mystery set in 460 B.C. Olympiad. Nicolaos and his fiancée [or is she his wife?] set out to solve the violent death of a Spartan pankratist. Timo, an Athenian pankratist, and Nico's good friend is accused of the murder. To try to keep down the rivalry between Athens and Sparta, Nico the Athenian and Markos the Spartan are tasked to solve the murder together. Fluffy, light reading of only a couple of hours. I like the way Corby works in ancient Greek customs [in this case mostly athetic] and trivia. (

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janerawoof | Sep 19, 2014 |

entertaining mystery involving the Olympic Games and the rivalry between Athens and Sparta

ritaer | Dec 15, 2013 |

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Canonical title

Original title

Alternative titles

Original publication date

2013-05-21

People/Characters

Nicolaos (Son of Sophroniscus)

Socrates

Diotima (A priestess of Artemis)

Timodemus (Athenian athlete)

Arakos (Spartan athlete)

(show all 32 items)

Important places

Olympia, Greece

Temple of Zeus, Olympia, Greece

Important events

Olympic Games (Ancient)

80th Olympiad

Related movies

Epigraph

Dedication

First words

The procession wound past the Sanctuary of Zeus. They'd been walking two days, from Elis to Olympia.

Quotations

Last words

Disambiguation notice

Publisher's editors

Juliet Grames

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▾Book descriptions

Fiction. Mystery. Historical Fiction. HTML:

A murder during the Olympics may spark a war between Athens and Sparta in this historical mystery in the "consistently excellent series" (Booklist).

It is the Olympics of 460 BC. Nicolaos's best friend, Timodemus, is a competitor in the pankration, the deadly martial art of ancient Greece. Timo is hot favorite to win�??his only serious rival is Parmonos from Sparta.

When Parmonos is found beaten to death, it seems obvious Timodemus would be the killer. Who else could have killed the second-best fighter in all Hellas but the very best? The judges of the competition sentence Timodemus to be executed in four days' time, as soon as the Sacred Games have finished.

Complicating everything is the fact that Athens and Sparta are already at each other's throats, in the opening stages of a power struggle for control of Hellas. If an Athenian is found to have cheated at the Games by murdering a Spartan, it will be everything the hawks in Sparta need to declare open war the moment the Sacred Truce is over. And that's a war Athens cannot hope to win. Now Nico and his partner in sleuthing, the annoyingly clever priestess Diotima, have four days to save their friend and avert a war that would tear their world apart.

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